Sheath for umbrella

ABSTRACT

A sheath for an umbrella of the type which assumes a flat crosssectional shape when collapsed, the sheath having two flat wide lateral walls connected by narrow side walls, the sheath having an open end, a cut-away portion in the front wall and a flap connected to the rear wall and overlying the cut-away portion of the front wall when closed.

United States Patent Buschmann [4 1 June 20, 1972 [54] SHEATH FOR UMBRELLA [21] Appl. No.: 36,749

521 113.01. ..13s/33c,150/52 5s FieldofSearch ..l35/33C;l50/52,32,34,28

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,700,492 1/1955 Baetzing ..l50/52X 3 ,442,314 5/1969 Miiller "150/52 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 483,221 2/1970 Switzerland ..l35/33 C Primary Examiner-J. Karl Bell Attorney--Alan Swabey ABSTRACT A sheath for an umbrella of the type which assumes a flat cross-sectional shape when collapsed, the sheath having two flat wide lateral walls connected by narrow side walls, the sheath having an open end, a cut-away portion in the front wall and a flap connected to the rear wall and overlying the cut-away portion of the front wall when closed.

3 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTEDmzo m2 3. 670.749

SHEET 10F 2 FIG/ F1612 F763 INVENTOR Hans BUSCHMANN @wJZa PATENTEDJUM 20 1972 8HEET 2 BF 2 FIG? 1 viii INVENTOR Hans BUSCHMANN @M/Zm? SHEA'IH FOR UMBRELLA BACKGROUND OF INVENTION The said sheathhas a closure flap passing over an end open- 2. Description of Prior Art In order to facilitate the introduction of the umbrella element into a case having a suitably adapted cross section, it is already known to provide spreader slots in the narrow lateral walls in the region of the opening for the umbrella, as described in U. S. application Ser. No. 810,443, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 3,605,772 on Sept. 20, 197.1 inventor Fritz Bremshey. These slots often tear when the body of the umbrella is pushed in, especially when the fabric mushrooms and is pushed in. Moreover, it is frequently necessary to arrange the umbrella covering when pushing the umbrella into the sheath.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION It is the aim of the present invention to provide a sheath for this type of umbrella which is easier to manufacture and use, and so that the means permitting a temporary enlargement of the umbrella opening are hidden from view after the umbrella has been inserted. These means are also intended to promote automatic arranging of the umbrella covering material.

In order to accomplish this aim, a construction in accordance with the present invention includes a wide wall having a cut-away portion extending from the open end edge of the umbrella and a flap extending from the opposite wide wall adapted to cover the cut-away portion. The closure flap is of approximately the same width as the wide wall and it has a neck opposite portion of relatively narrower width in the area corresponding to the open end of the sheath. It is a further feature that the cut-away portion tapers down to its lower end and to terminate shortly above the flap attachment means.

Another advantageous characteristic of the invention is that the closure flap is an extension of one of the, wide side walls, the said side wall being made of two layers with an intermediate reinforcing layer having a break approximately in the region of the crest of the closure flap.

Finally, the innovation also proposes that the edges of the narrow lateral walls shall be made in the form of a seam by folding over the wall material.

The cut-away portion provided in one of the wide walls opening to the end opening-allows the opening to be spread apart to not only bring about the necessary temporary enlargement during the passage of the umbrella fabric mushroom but at the same time assists in arranging the material. This action is gentle. It is essential in this connection that the cut-away portion shall taper down to its lower end. Thusthe umbrella covering material is first of all gradually urged into the characteristic flat shape by the edges of the cut-away portion. This is followed by the folding over of the closure flap which is at least as wide as the cut-away. Any pieces of umbrella covering material projecting outwards from the cut-away are pushed in when the flap is closed. The narrow neck of the umbrella handie, in order to flap allows for the passage of the carrying strap secured to the umbrella handle.

The double-layer feature of the wide walls provided by the I BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Additional advantages and features are described hereinafter in greater detail with reference to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of the sheath according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation thereof;

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the sheath;

FIG. 4 is a partial front elevation of the sheath in the open position;

FIG. 5 shows the case compactly folded and secured;

FIG. 6 is a section taken along the line A-B in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a section taken along the line C--D in FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the case with the umbrella inserted.

Flat umbrella case 1, substantially matching the rectangular cross section of the umbrella to be inserted therein, consists of wide lateral walls 2, 3, narrow lateral walls 4, 5, and a bottom end wall 6.

Narrow lateral walls 4, 5, merge with the bottom wall 6. Open end 7 is covered by a closure flap 8, which is an extension of wide lateral wall 3. The flap 8 can be closed by means of a snap fastener with the male member 9 arranged at the free end of closure flap 8, while the female member 10 of the snap fastener is mounted on the front wide lateral wall 2 of the' sheath.

The open end 7 is defined mainly by upper edges ll, 12 of narrow lateral walls 4, 5, edge 13 of front wide lateral wall 2,

and the material of rear wide lateral wall 3, is adapted to be spread out into the shape of a funnel, for which cut-away portion 14 is provided in the'front wide lateral wall 2. The cutaway portion 14 is defined from the umbrella-opening edge 13 of wide lateral wall 2 and has rounded corners 15. The cutaway portion 14 is defined in the center of wide lateral wall 2. It tapers downwards i.e. towards the bottom of the sheath where it tenninates in a rounded-off root 16. The root 16 is immediately above female member 10 of the snap fastener.

In addition to the function of spreading the umbrella open end 7, the cut-away member 14 also has a cover arranging function, it gradually arranges the covering material of the umbrella, especially the mushroom of the umbrella cover fabric as the umbrella is being inserted into the sheath.

Front wide lateral wall tabs 17 rounded ofi' at 15 may be folded over at fold-axis x-x, especially when the part of the umbrella having the largest cros section, namely the umbrella cover mushroom is being inserted. The material at these points has a static stability such that tabs 17 spring back into their original positions.

After the umbrella has been inserted into the sheath and flap 8 has been closed, cut-away portion 14 is completely covered and bottom wall 18 of umbrella handle 19 is partly covered. As shown in FIG. 8, the closure flap 8 has a neck 20 which is narrower than the flap 8 leaving openings 22 (FIG. 4) at the lateral ends of the open end 7 corresponding to the lateral ends of the handle 19. These openings allow free passage for ends 23 of a carrying strap 24 secured to handle 19.

Closure flap 8 is approximately equal in width to wide lateral walls 2,3. I

Lateral wide walls 2,3 are made in two-plies, the inner wall being marked W1 and the outer wall W2. Sandwiched between these two walls is a reinforcing layer 26 which is interrupted in the region of neck 20 of closure flap 8. Without the reinforcing layer, this section folds more flexibly. Half-way up the umbrella case, at Y, (FIG. 6), the reinforcing layer is also interrupted, so that the case maybe folded compactly without impairing the reinforcing material (see FIG. 5). This compactly folded position is also secured by flap 8, upper part 9 of the press-stud cooperating in this case with a lower part 10 located on the rear wide lateral wall of the case.

As shown in FIG. 7, edges 11, 12 of narrow lateral walls 4,5 are folded over inwardly by folding the wall material at that lo cation. The narrow lateral walls are thus double, at least in the region of the umbrella opening, i.e. they are reinforced. The reinforcing interlayer, as used in wide lateral walls 2,3 is omitted here in order to obtain the flattest possible folded shape.

Reinforcing layer 26 terminates directly ahead of cut-away portion 14, and tabs 17 may therefore be easily deflected when the entry cross section of the umbrella opening is enlarged, especially when the umbrella cover mushroom is inserted. Female member of the snap fastener passes through the reinforcing layer; this provides a tear-proof anchorage and also locates the said reinforcing layer between walls W1 and W2.

Free edge 27 of the closure flap 8 is enclosed in a metal strip of U-shaped cross section. This strip covers almost the entire width of the flap 8. Inside leg 28 of the strip, which is widened at least in its central region, there is provided the male member 9 of the snap fastener (see FIG. 6).

I claim:

1. A flexible, foldable umbrella sheath for an umbrella of the type which has a flat cross-sectional shape when in a collapsed condition, the sheath having spaced apart wide lateral walls and relatively narrow lateral walls joining the wide walls along longitudinal edges thereof, the sheath having a closed end and an open end, the improvement comprising a flap extending from and substantially the width of one of the wide lateral walls and foldable thereat over the open end, said flap including an inwardly disposed neck portion of a width narrower than said flap and originating substantially at the upper edge of the one wide lateral wall, the neck portion overlying said open end of said sheath and forming through openings communicating directly with the open end, said flap and said other wide wall including releasable fastening means for securing the flap neck portion over said open end, said other wide lateral wall having a relatively wide opening originating inwardly of the narrow walls at the upper edge thereof and continuing in free converging edges toward said fastening means, said flap having such dimensions as to completely cover the opening when said flap is fastened to the other wide lateral wall.

2. A sheath as defined in claim I wherein the narrow walls include upper edges at the open end of the sheath comprising inwardly folded portions of said narrow walls extending transversely across and secured at the upper ends of the narrow walls, both of the wide lateral walls including two-plies and a reinforcing layer at the upper open end of said sheath.

3. A sheath as defined in claim 1, wherein the wide lateral wall from which said flap extends comprises two plies of material having a reinforcing layer extending into said flap and terminating transversely at the neck portion of said flap, said other wall including said reinforcing layer intermediately interrupted for permitting the sheath to be folded upon itself, and fastening means on said onelateral wall for detachable engagement with said flap fastening means for permitting the sheath to be secured in a folded condition when the umbrella is removed. 

1. A flexible, foldable umbrella sheath for an umbrella of the type which has a flat cross-sectional shape when in a collapsed condition, the sheath having spaced apart wide lateral walls and relatively narrow lateral walls joining the wide walls along longitudinal edges thereof, the sheath having a closed end and an open end, the improvement comprising a flap extending from and substantially the width of one of the wide lateral walls and foldable thereat over the open end, said flap including an inwardly disposed neck portion of a width narrower than said flap and originating substantially at the upper edge of the one wide lateral wall, the neck portion overlying said open end of said sheath and forming through openings communicating directly with the open end, said flap and said other wide wall including releasable fastening means for securing the flap neck portion over said open end, said other wide lateral wall having a relatively wide opening originating inwardly of the narrow walls at the upper edge thereof and continuing in free converging edges toward said fastening means, said flap having such dimensions as to completely cover the opening when said flap is fastened to the other wide lateral wall.
 2. A sheath as defined in claim 1 wherein the narrow walls include upper edges at the open end of the sheath comprising inwardly folded portions of said narrow walls extending transversely across and secured at the upper ends of the narrow walls, both of the wide lateral walls including two-plies and a reinforcing layer at the upper open end of said sheath.
 3. A sheath as defined in claim 1, wherein the wide lateral wall from which said flap extends comprises two plies of material having a reinforcing layer extending into said flap and terminating transversely at the neck portion of said flap, said other wall including said reinforcing layer intermediately interrupted for permitting the sheath to be folded upon itself, and fastening means on said one lateral wall for detachable engagement with said flap fastening means for permitting the sheath to be secured in a folded condition when the umbrella is removed. 